Child murdered, dismembered allegedly by babysitter

JUPITER, FL (WFLX) - A child has been murdered and then dismembered in Indiana, allegedly at the hands of her babysitter.

The suspect, Michael Plumadore, 39, has a criminal history in Miami-Dade County. Plumadore may have lived in Palm Beach County, as well. As of Monday, he was being held behind bars more than 1,000 miles away from South Florida.

Plumadore now sits in an Indiana jail cell after admitting to authorities that he beat a 9-year-old Fort Wayne girl to death with a brick then dismembered her body with a hacksaw. "I knew, and I think some of the investigators knew that he was the focus," said Sheriff Ken Fries of Allen County, Indiana.

In the past, Plumadore had been convicted of trespassing and assault in North Carolina and Florida; specifically Miami-Dade County. Property records indicate that he may have lived in a Jupiter neighborhood just north of Indiantown Road. That revelation came as a surprise to longtime neighbors.

"Sad man. Not right. Not right at all," said Maurice Robichaud, who has lived on Southview Drive for 23 years. "That's pretty sick."

Plumadore may have stayed in that neighborhood in the early 2000's, according to property records. The owner of the home in question said, despite what property records show, he does not believe Plumadore was ever his tenant.

Plumadore was believed to have been babysitting Alianha Lemmon and her two sisters because their mother was ill and their stepfather works nights. The family thought of him as a "trusted friend," authorities said. The remains of the child were discovered Monday. Plumadore was charged with murder on Tuesday.

Despite property records tying the suspect to that Jupiter home, neither the home's owner nor any of the dozens of longtime neighbors contacted said they have ever seen Plumadore before.